Daschle v. Thune

Daschle Residency

Powerline and a number of others are quite interested in the Talon News story this morning about Daschle's residency problems.

Big Debate Tonight

Be sure to watch the debate on public tv tonight at 8:00 PM and again at 10:00 PM on C-Span. SDP went to the taping and has an early report--Daschle took another beating.

New Article

See this: "Daschle's South Dakota Residency In Question"

For background, also note this from Roll Call (August 18, 2003): "Daschle Hit On Tax Break."

WSJ: Argus an "unrelenting supporter of Mr. Daschle"

Here is an outstanding column in today's Wall Street Journal Opinion Journal. Excerpts:

If the prospect of unseating a party leader for the first time since 1952 weren't enough, there's another reason why this race is second in importance to only the presidency. Mr. Daschle has served as chief architect of liberals' two-year strategy to obstruct George W. Bush's agenda, from national security and tort reform to energy production, tax cuts and federal judges. A Daschle defeat would be a repudiation of that filibuster game plan, and do more to break the Senate logjam than any other Republican gains. "It'd be like picking up three extra seats," Virginia Senator George Allen, chairman of the Republican campaign committee, said recently.

Here's my favorite part:

Second, and just as important, the state's main news outlet, the Argus Leader--an unrelenting supporter of Mr. Daschle that has refused to report on the senator's inconsistencies--has been challenged by a wave of alternative media forums, especially bloggers.

Back to the main points:

Here in the Mount Rushmore state, Mr. Daschle has assured voters he supports a state law defining marriage as between a man and a woman. Yet in July he voted against a similar constitutional amendment that two-thirds of South Dakotans support. He was a free trader, but now he's not. He's for legal change, but blocked every tort bill. He beats up on drug companies, though his wife, Linda Daschle, lobbies for them. And so on, and on and on.

To Mr. Daschle's chagrin, these contradictions have been the only issue of this race, and were dredged up all over again last week via a new scandal over his position(s) on abortion. Mr. Daschle has repeatedly told voters he is "opposed to abortion" and that every one is a "tragedy." But then a fund-raising letter surfaced from 2002, in which he solicited money for Naral, the far-left abortion-rights group, saying he "stood up for a woman's right to choose." It's episodes like these that have voters wondering if "Tom" really is one with the South Dakota people.

Read the whole thing.

New Blogger

Here's another South Dakota blogger and he's a history fan! He went to hear Senator Daschle today, who talked about the "great things" Stephanie Herseth was doing. I wonder if they include supporting/voting for the gay marriage and flag amendments to the Constitution, both of which Daschle opposes. She was also endorsed by the NRA, which gave Daschle an "F."

New Ad

Bud Day went to law school at the University of South Dakota and is the most highly decorated officer since MacArthur in part because of heroics as a POW in Vietnam. He's in the new Swiftboat ads here. Daschle's first opponent, Leo Thorsness, is also a former POW is also involved with the Swiftboat vets. I interviewed Thorsness a few months ago and his comments can be found in this article about their 1978 contest.

New Book

In her weekly column, Rapid City Journal reporter Denise Ross apparently mentioned a new book entitled "The Other Side of Tom Daschle." She mentions this on Mount Blogmore:

I included ordering information for “The Other Side of Tom Daschle.” Scandal. Apparently it was OK with [the Daschle people] when I included ordering info when Daschle released his own book, “Like No Other Time.” Not a peep then. Hmmm.

Here's her column:

Some chapters cover Daschle's record on abortion, his strained relationship with the Catholic Church, his record on taxes and the ongoing fight over judicial nominations.

The book delves into other issues and takes on the lobbying job of Daschle's wife, Linda Daschle. The book devotes one chapter to the media reports and ethics probe into whether the Daschles had improperly interfered with airplane inspections before the fatal 1994 plane crash of Rapid City-based B&L Aviation.

Books can be ordered for $4.95 per copy by calling 1-800-426-1357.

from the LA Times

Democrats for Life

Democrats for Life are featuring the recent Rapid City Journal article on their website. Apparently, they have a South Dakota chapter.

Randell Beck, Federalist

In his column last Sunday, Randell Beck brought up Hamilton while sneering at those vile bloggers, which I was reminded of when reading Professor Reynolds:

PAJAMA PEOPLE in the 18th Century: I've often said that the rise of the blogosphere represents, in many ways, a return to the late 18th century environment of pamphleteers, numerous small ideological newspapers, and coffeehouse debates. And I have to say that this passage from Larry Kramer's new book, The People Themselves: Popular Constitutionalism and Judicial Review, could describe the reaction of some in today's haut-commentariat to the rise of blogs and other alternative media:

After the adoption of the Constitution, most Federalists had expected to amicably govern a quiescent population content to follow their wise leadership. Instead, they were shocked to find themselves wrestling with an unruly, rambunctious democracy-in-the-making. Between the burgeoning newspapers, raucous parades, partisan holiday celebrations, and disrespectful debating societies, the people out-of-doors seemed literally to be taking leave of their senses. Suddenly, everyone apparently felt entitled to express an opinion -- more, felt that "constituted authorities" should be listening to their views. . . . Federalist leaders were caught flat-footed, unsure how to cope with this confusing new world.